"Double Boston Cream" (oil on linen; 7" x 7") sold

sold

Boston Cream is my favorite donut.  The trouble is that one donut is not enough.  Two gets to be too much, but on the principle of not wasting food, I end up finishing the second donut as well.  Life is tough, don't you agree?

"Joy of Spring" (oil on stretched canvas; 20" x 16") sold

sold

What a winter we are having!  The Polar Vortex!  Have you seen the pictures of the frozen Chicago Lakeshore?  Burrrr.  I pulled out a picture of peonies and watermelon to warm up my soul.  We had a fantastic spring last year.  It was mild with plenty of rain to keep the flowers going for weeks beyond their season.  The reference photo for the painting was taken on the last day of May, which is very late for where I live.

It was a hot sunny day and I and my darling peonies were wilting.  Just the thought of it made me happy as I painted "Joy of Spring".  There is nothing like sinking teeth into the slice of cool watermelon on a hot day on the patio by the side of gorgeous flowers!

"Tropical Escape" (oil on linen; 9" x 6") sold

sold

In the last post, I said something about not having to go to Europe or a tropical paradise for a wonderful family time.  I still stand by my statement.  Yet.  I will go to any of the Hawaiian islands in a heartbeat!  My family seem to go there every eight years or so.  Last time was two winters ago.  We spent a fabulous week in Kauai, the Garden Island.  I saw ripe mangoes, bananas, grapefruits, etc. hanging in the trees everywhere in February!

On the way to some place, we caught a glimpse of a lovely beach.  We pulled over and scrambled down to the beach.  We stood along a narrow strip of a secluded sandy beach.  The view was breathtaking.  It was a perfect spot to spread out a picnic basket and loll on the beach. We took some pictures and climbed back up to the car with a happy feeling that one gets after a spontaneous adventure.

"Love of My Life" (oil on stretched canvas; 12" x 16") gift

gift

These two people are the love of my life--my husband and daughter.  They give meaning and purpose to my life.  My daughter is a busy high-school kid who participates in many camps during the summer months.  We haven't taken summer vacations for two years because of her busy schedule!

Bemoaning the fact, I suggested a day outing one day.  But the forecast was ominous with thunderstorms and such.  We stayed put.  The weather, however, turned out to be one of the best summer days in the Washington area.  After a nice dinner at a restaurant, we went for an enjoyable walk in a neighborhood park.  I took the reference photo for the painting at the pond gazebo.

"Love of My Life" again proves my philosophy.  As long as we are with the people we love AND enjoy each other's company, we don't have to go to Europe or a tropical paradise for a "quality" family time.  My husband asked me to paint the scene to capture our happy day together.  The painting is for him.

"Sadie" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

sold

"Sadie" is for Tom and June.  The commission is a late Christmas gift from Tom's daughter, Christina.  Sadie was a "small" Great Dane that June adopted while living in Beaufort, SC.  Small because at her maximum weight, she was 128 pounds, which is small for a Great Dane.

Sadie was a true gentle giant even as a puppy.  She had a favorite boo toy which was a little purple rubber alligator dressed in a suite.  She would carry it around in her mouth and you did not know she had it until she dropped it down.  That is how gentle her bite was.  She never made it squeak unless she wanted your attention, which was when she wanted to sleep with June in her bed.  Sadie was June's travel buddy.  She went everywhere with June.

June moved back to Pennsylvania when she made the decision to be the in-home caregiver for her parents.  Her mother's health was deteriorating and her father's dementia was progressing. Sadie became their true companion.  She was there for June's mom to lean on when needed and to help make sure that the lady got up and out of bed when June had to work.  She kept June's father company after he became widowered.  She also helped keep him present and focused. Sadie was June's companion during some very hard times.

Sadie was also there when June met her husband on their first date.  Tom often jokes that if Sadie had not liked him (she loved him from the start), they would not be together today, going on seven years.  Tom often told people that Sadie was his canine daughter.  Sadie loved long walks in the open fields of a local park and hiking trails along rivers and up mountains.

Sadie would have been 13 years old this February.  They had to let her go in November.  As I was painting her, I could feel her gentleness and intelligence.  I hope her portrait gives comfort to Tom and June.

"A Life Led and A Life Beginning" (oil on linen; 12" x 9") sold

sold

"A Life Led and A Life Beginning" is for Liz.  I was excited and honored to paint this special double portrait as the first commission painting of 2014.  The painting portrays Liz's 90-year-old father-in-law and his 10-month-old great granddaughter.  

Curtis was born in Virginia as one of 12 children.  He has been a minister of God for 62 years. He has been married to his wife, Alma, for 62 years.  Together they had two children: Liz's husband and a daughter, Wendy.  Wendy's son is the proud daddy of Emma. 

Curtis is a quiet soul who loves the Lord and has lived his life for others.  He loves his family and has always tried to see the best in all.  He has been ill with Alzheimer's for several years. He sometimes recognizes his family and other times he doesn't, but still can quote scripture and preach his sermons from years ago.

Emma maybe the only 4th generation he will ever meet, so this portrait is very special to Liz's family.  She wished that I capture Curtis's gentle, kind eyes and soul and the sweetness and innocence of little Emma.  The title of the painting was her inspiration.  I did my uttermost to fulfill her wish.

"Budding Artist" (oil on linen; 14" x 11") nfs

nfs

Pablo Picasso once said: "Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."  I can't agree more.  My daughter used to love art.  The painting shows when she was not quite three and a half years of age.  She was a fearless abstract expressionist!  She, as a grade schooler, went to an after-school art program for several years, winning awards and all.

Then she grew up and decided that art was not her thing.  These days she doesn't go anywhere near paints and brushes.  She is more likely to read books, play the flute, or solve tough math questions with a pencil in hand.

I painted "Budding Artist" on New Year's Day as a New Year's Resolution.  I want to live and paint fearlessly this year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!